With quarterback Austin Woods passing for three touchdowns and running for another and linebacker Morgan Ensley anchoring a defense that forced four turnovers, the Warriors finally got into the win column, thrilling their homecoming crowd with a 47-13 MEGA 7 3A/4A Conference win over Harding Friday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

“I’m glad we were finally about to taste victory tonight,” said East Gaston coach Sean Joyce. “I was proud of our effort on both sides of the ball.”

Woods was brilliant from the start, balancing good reads out of the Warriors’ option offense with his best passing performance of the season as he completed nine of 14 tosses for 146 yards.

“He’s becoming an outstanding quarterback,” Joyce said. “But he had a good supporting cast tonight, especially our offensive line. There were some good holes there and he had good protection.”

The Warriors (1-6, 1-2) scored on their first possession, driving 50 yards in 10 plays with Dontavis Walker finding the end zone from six yards out for the touchdown. Harding answered on its next series as Gabrian Brocks caught a 19 yard pass from quarterback Trevon Stencil.

But it was all East Gaston from that point as Bryant Robbins caught a 24-yard scoring pass from Woods that gave the Warriors a 14-7 lead at the half before four unanswered touchdowns put the game out of reach. Three of those scores came in the third quarter as Woods found Isaiah Bell on touchdown passes of five and 47 yards.

Woods scored the other Warrior third quarter touchdown on a 34 yard run before finding Michael Barbour on a 25 yard pass early in the fourth quarter to push the lead to 40-7. Harding (0-6, 0-2) got its final score of the evening on a 33 yard pass from D’Marcus Winston to Brittain King before back-up quarterback Alex Adams found the end zone on a 33-yard keeper for the final East Gaston score of the night.

“Defensively, I think that’s the best we’ve played this year,” Joyce said. “We’ve traditionally struggled against teams with speed, but not tonight.”

Joyce thinks his young team may have a chance to taste victory again.

“I think we are absolutely coming together,” Joyce said. “We’re young, and it takes time but we’re starting to jell. I can see this happening again.”

In addition to Woods’ outstanding performance, Walker carried 21 times for 124 yards to lead the Warrior ground attack. Defensively, East Gaston held the Rams to only 43 yards rushing.